Pressurized fuel gas may be used to pneumatically power prelubrication and starter systems. The pressurized gas is delivered to the prelubrication and starter systems through a high pressure fuel gas line at a pressure sufficient to provide power to these systems. The high pressure gas line (e.g., 150 psi) may be separate from a low pressure gas line (e.g., less than 5 psi), which is used to deliver fuel gas to the engine for combustion, and both lines may utilize the same fuel gas. Thus, leaks in the high pressure fuel gas line can cause problems during engine operation, such as auto-ignition, for example, in cases which the high pressure gas line is in close proximity to parts of the engine hot enough to ignite leaked fuel gas. Diesel engines are sometimes configured to utilize pressurized air to pneumatically power the prelubrication and starter systems and thus are not challenged by the same auto-ignition problem in their pneumatic prelubrication and starter systems.
Furthermore, pressurized fuel gas is often provided to the high pressure gas line by a user-operated, manual switch. When the engine is not running, unnecessary periods of activation that deliver pressurized gas to the high pressure gas line, prelubrication system, or starter system having a leak can result in the build-up of gas near the engine. The build-up of fuel gas may further contribute to the auto-ignition problem.
The background to the disclosure is described herein, including reference to acts, materials, devices, and the like, to explain the context of the present invention. This is not to be taken as an admission or a suggestion that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains, in the United States or in any other country, as at the priority date of any of the claims.